Poker Night
by Wunderwrite20
Summary: Lightning and the gang get together for a fun night of poker.


_**Just a good one-shot of when Lightning ends up playing Poker with the gang. Sorry if the ending isn't so good. I never know how to end them =P Hope you enjoy. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own FF13 and blah blah you get the picture. **_

It was poker night and everyone had gathered for a fun evening. Sazh, Snow, Hope, Vanille, Fang and Serah were all gathered around the coffee table in the living room, though nothing seemed to be happening. The deck of cards lay in the center of the table, waiting for the first cut. Everyone sat and stared, waiting for the last member of the party to arrive. Serah glanced at the clock on the wall.

"She sure is taking a while."

"You think maybe she forgot?" Snow asked.

"How can she forget Snow? She lives here remember?" Fang pointed out crossing her arms.

"She probably just got held up for a bit." Sazh said. "The rain out there isn't exactly letting up at all."

He motioned to the nearest window, showing pouring rain and strong wind.

"I hope she makes it back alright." Vanille said a little worried, looking out the window as the rain splattered harder.

Hope fumbled with his wallet in his hand, also looking out the window. He let out a big yawn and scratched his head. Fang seemed to be the most impatient of them all though. She tapped her finger on her crossed arms, her eyes glancing to the door every five seconds. They didn't get to spend a lot of time with Lightning since she was always working and often her assignments required a few days journey.

Then lights brushed passed the window and the sound of an engine broke through the pounding of the rain.

"Ah! That's got to be her now." Snow said. "I'd recognize the sound of her air-bike anywhere."

No sooner had he gotten the last words out than suddenly the door was thrown open by the howling wind and rain as Lightning tumbled in, her helmet still on as she pushed hard against the door, locking it firmly, her back to the group.

She stood there for a moment dripping from the rain, mumbling to herself. Her GC uniform was soaked and it clung to her like a second skin. She pulled off her helmet and let her pink strands fall in her face, not really caring it practically skewed her vision.

Everyone sat quietly, all eyes on Lightning. Then she turned and saw them all there. Snow gave a nervous smile and Serah a light wave, Fang seemed to be too distracted by Lightning's wet clothes to look at anything else, Vanille just smiled while Sazh and Hope stared with bored expressions.

Lightning straightened herself, still taking in the scene, bewilderment in her eyes. She looked away, then back as if to make sure she wasn't just seeing things; all eyes still on her, not saying a word.

"What are you all doing in my house?" she asked, her eyes narrowing on each individual.

"We-uh-" Snow started but his wavering voice faltered as Lightning shot him an icy stare.

Both Sazh and Hope attempted to speak up, both raising a finger and ready for speech when fang broke in first.

"It's poker night love." Fang said. "Don't you remember? We all agreed it would be here tonight."

Then as if Lightning had just remembered she smacked a hand to her face and mumbled something incoherent.

"That's right. We did, didn't we?" She said as if it was the worst thing in the world. She craned her neck back and ran a hand through her tangled hair in agitation.

"We even waited for you to get back." Vanille said sympathetically holding up the deck of cards for Lightning to see.

"That's really nice of you guys but-"

Lightning glanced back at everyone, their eyes silently urging her to stay.

"Ok. Ok I'll play." She said. She kicked off her boots and threw her white GC jacket on a chair. She gave Hope a small smile and squeezed her way in between Serah and Snow, more pushing than squeezing, putting Hope and Sazh across from her and Fang and Vanille on the two ends.

"Alright, let's get this going then." Fang shuffled the deck and everyone pulled out their wallets or bags to retrieve their money for the big game.

Snow clumsily fumbled with his, trying to get the snap open, Vanille pulled out an animal skin bag and reached in for her coins. Sazh and Hope pulled it from their pockets. Serah from a little snapper purse and Lightning from her ammo bag tied to the belt of her uniform. Fang dealt the cards, five to a person and placed the deck back in the middle.

"You keep your money in with your ammo soldier?" Sazh asked quizzically raising and eyebrow.

"Why? Where else would I keep it?" Lightning asked looking towards Serah as if for an answer.

Hope snickered. It was moments like that that made him like Lightning so much. She flicked a cracker crumb at him hitting him square in the forehead as she glanced another smirk at him then directing her attention back to her cards. The game started.

30 min. later…..

"Augh! Snow!" Hope grumbled as he threw his cards down and Snow collected the pile of coins in the center of the table. "How'd you get so good at this? Last time we played you were terrible."

Mumbles of agreement followed as more cards were discarded and returned to the deck.

"Maybe he's cheating." Fang said suspiciously eyeing Snow from across the table.

"Why is it so hard to believe that I'm actually getting better?" Snow asked counting his winnings.

"Well last time you didn't win a single hand." Vanille said still not really fazed by her current streak of loss.

"Yeah. Like really." Sazh added rubbing it in.

"My talent is taking over. Right Serah?" He asked with pride but was met with Serah's grumpy face.

"Oh shut up. Deal again so I can get my money back." She said plucking a couple cashews into her mouth and munching greedily.

"Hey!" Snow retorted.

"Deal already." Lightning slapped the deck in his face.

2 hrs. later…..

Lightning balanced the cards in her hands delicately as one by one each member folded until it was just Hope left, desperate to win this hand. His brow was furrowed in intensity as he was sure this time he had her. He looked into her eyes, looking for any sign of hesitation. She just looked back, her face not showing any emotion or hint at all of what could be in her hands. How did she do that. She had a perfect poker face and it only made it harder to read her.

The others lay passed out around the table having lost consciousness one by one over the course of the many games. Now it was just Hope and Lightning.

Lightning glanced at her cards. Then back to Hope, the slightest smirk of slyness on her face.

"OK Hope. I'll call. $200 G's." She placed the large gold coin down delicately into the already too big pile of coins.

Hope's eyes widened in amazement.

"Y-you're bluffing." Hope said more to convince himself than anyone else.

Lightning shrugged her shoulders suggestively tilting her head slightly, her cards still held in her delicate hands. Her face still a mystery to her thoughts.

Then Hope showed his cards.

"Straight in clubs." He said proudly, folding his arms and glaring at Lightning mischievously over his close victory.

Lightning paused a moment looking at Hope's cards then back at hers, her soft eyes reading through each card in her hand. Then they shot back to Hope's eyes and she layed down her cards, a smile escaping her.

"Sorry Hope. Full House, Aces and Kings." She said showing three aces and two kings.

Hope gasped in surprise at the sudden turn of events. A full house?

"No. Nooo." He looked at Lightning in shock. "I had you though. I had a straight. I never get those." He limped against the couch in defeat. "I had a straight." He said again softly.

Lightning couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Don't worry Hope. Maybe next time." And she playfully tossed a card at Hope hitting him square in the nose.

Suddenly Snow awoke with a snort at Hope's complaining.

"Huh? Who's turn is it?" he asked still a little dazed. Then he looked at the cards in his hand and beamed with excitement.

"You've been holding that hand for the last hour Snow." Hope cut in before Snow had a chance to play his hand.

"Aww, man." He tossed his cards in the air and crashed his head on the table in annoyance wile inadvertently knocking himself out again in the process.

Sazh jumped awake at the sudden impact and braced himself, a surprised and panicked look on his face.

"What's going on?" he asked quickly, turning his head from side to side as if to see some bizarre source of the sound.

"You all lost that's what's going on." Lightning replied throwing the deck at his face.

He looked around at the table and noticed Fang, Vanille and Serah still sleeping.

"Looks like it's time to call it quits huh?" he motioned to the three incapacitated women and Snow.

Hope grumbled to himself, still in resentment at losing once again to Lightning.

"Come on. Let's leave the dead there and go get some food." Lightning said as she got to her feet, pulling Hope up by his collar and Sazh by his.

"She beat the pants off us again huh kid?"

"Yeah, yeah she sure did."

"Come on you two." Lightning pulled them out of the house, leaving the others laying there, oblivious to the mess of the house and the lightness of their pockets.


End file.
